State’s ‘A-F’ accountability system could change

Posted: Friday, January 12, 2018

Source: Inside INdiana

The Indiana State Board of Education is taking public comment on proposed changes to the statewide school accountability grading system. The board says the adjustments are necessary to keep up with new U.S. Department of Education guidelines and Indiana graduation requirements.

The proposal, which would take effect in the upcoming academic year if approved, includes new “well-rounded educational development” and “high school on-track” indicators. The well-rounded indicator would include a science score and a social studies score. The proposal says a student would be considered “on-track” if, by the end of the student’s first year of high school, the student has accumulated at least ten course credits and received no more than one “F” in English/language arts, math, science or social studies.

Under the proposal, the A-F grades will be determined using the current indicators of academic achievement, academic progress, graduation rate, English language proficiency, addressing chronic absenteeism, college and career readiness and the new well-rounded educational development and high school on-track indicators.

The board says comments from the public, which will be accepted through April and be discussed in upcoming public meetings, can be submitted to sboe_comment@sboe.in.gov. In July, the department voted to begin this rulemaking process. You can connect to full details of the proposed changes by clicking here.

The board also unanimously voted to re-elect State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick as chair and BJ Watts as vice chair.